Category Archives: Outdoors

Yellowstone: The Usual Suspects and a Surprise or Two

Posted on May 13, 2013 by westerner54

This fellow is one of the usual suspects: his name is Scarface, and I’ve seen him before in Yellowstone. He’s over twenty years old, with a mangled right ear, and..yes..a scarred face from too many run-ins with other grizzlies. I’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Travel, Wildlife, Yellowstone | Tagged , , , , | 36 Comments

The Osprey has Landed

Posted on May 10, 2013 by westerner54

When I’m photographing birds, my hope is that my picture will show the true spirt of the bird I’m seeing. It’s not easy. But sometimes I feel like I’m getting close.   (I’m participating in The Prairier Birder’s “Feathers on … Continue reading →

Posted in Birding, Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Photography | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

Solitude in Zion: Not on Angel’s Landing

Posted on May 1, 2013 by westerner54

The National Parks are certainly not lax about warning the public about the dangers that we will encounter within their borders – even cactus! – and Zion is no exception.  Warnings about falling from cliffs seem to pop up every … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, Hiking, Outdoors, Southwest hikes, Travel | Tagged , , | 38 Comments

That’s My Spot!

Posted on April 26, 2013 by westerner54

Earlier this week I was checking out one of the Bald Eagle nests I’ve been watching, and I spotted these two sitting on a branch a couple of hundred feet from the nest.     At first I thought it was a Golden Eagle hanging … Continue reading →

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Relentlessly Steep: the Tanner Trail in the Grand Canyon

Posted on April 23, 2013 by westerner54

I’m watching the sun sink behind the canyon walls, three miles and a couple of thousand vertical feet below the rim of the Grand Canyon.  It’s a beautiful April evening, with a welcome breeze that keeps the desert flies away. … Continue reading →

Posted in Backpacking, Hiking, Nature, Outdoors, Southwest hikes | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

Zion Spring

Posted on April 18, 2013 by westerner54

Zion National Park, March 2013  

Posted in Hiking, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 24 Comments

It’s All Downhill From Here: A Backpack to the East Rim of Zion Canyon

Posted on April 15, 2013 by westerner54

Zion is a perfect little gem of a national park.   The ruby red rock, the sapphire skies,  the incredible soaring cliffs and towers surrounding a beautiful little winding river:  it’s hard to believe that so much beauty can be concentrated in … Continue reading →

Posted in Backpacking, Hiking, Nature, Outdoors, Southwest hikes | Tagged , , | 22 Comments

Just When You Think There’s Nothing There…

Posted on March 17, 2013 by westerner54

This young golden eagle was one of at least twenty that we watched one evening last week in what at first seemed to be an empty creek valley north of Helena. It was late afternoon, and we were driving along a gravel road … Continue reading →

Posted in Birding, Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments

Angry Bird

Posted on March 13, 2013 by westerner54

Yikes!

Posted in Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, Wildlife | Tagged , | 5 Comments

The Eagles. My Favorite Reality Show.

Posted on March 11, 2013 by westerner54

When I was a teenager in Massachusetts in the 1960s and 70s, there were no breeding pairs of bald eagles in the entire state.   I remember seeing a bald eagle on a trip west with my family, and it was a huge … Continue reading →

Posted in Birding, Hiking, Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Wildlife | Tagged , , | 16 Comments